Associate Editor
Working as the frame and sunwear editor at an eyewear publication, the assumption is that I have a handle on everything going on in the industry. But lately there have been so many amazing changes in the sunwear category, and such a multitude of exciting new sun collections launching in 2008, that it makes even my head spin. It is easy to see how a regular consumer can be totally overwhelmed.
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Deirdre Carroll Associate Editor |
From “open try-on” layouts, which allow customers to try on as many pairs of sunglasses as they like, a practice Solstice calls an “open sell retail concept” to offering plano sunwear as a consistent part of a contact lens program, an initiative that both Bard Optical in Peoria, Ill., and Standard Optical in Salt Lake City, are implementing for 2008, the push to provide effective sun protection for everyone is really taking off.
Many optical retailers have also been making big strides toward training their retail associates to become more knowledgeable and informed about the product, so instead of just selling eyewear, they’re selling the best eyewear for their customer. National chain Sunglass Hut is working to make improvements to their locations with moveable fixtures and mirror bands that invite visitors to trying on more sunwear styles and the company is also training their associates to talk to the customers before suggesting styles, in an effort to cater their sales approach to each customer’s specific needs.
This is something Cindy Henderson and Genia Durham of Eyear Optical in Chattanooga, Tenn., are very familiar with, “We are always looking for new information and training for our staff so they can educate our customers on the best possible product for their individual needs.”
A more educated staff means a more educated customer and like Larry Pearson, from Midwest Vision Centers in St. Cloud, Minn., said, “The future will bring a more informed consumer...We will need to do a superior job of demonstrating our sunglass products by showing the fashion and the function that the consumer demands.”
It is an approach that is both simple and genius all at the same time. Sunwear has long been considered the sexier sister to her ophthalmic counterpart but with increased awareness of the possibilities in the sunwear market, which could mean more revenue for the industry as a whole; it is becoming crystal clear that there is real substance behind its shiny veneer. ■
